The Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU) plans to act against faculty members who enjoy additional benefits by citing doctoral degrees that do not conform to the rules of the University Grants Commission.
An assistant professor who has a PhD is eligible for two salary increments in KVASU. The doctoral degree is mandatory for being promoted as a professor. A professor would draw a monthly salary of nearly Rs.1.2 lakh. A circular issued on October 21 by KVASU Registrar stated that it had been “brought to the notice of the university that PhD degrees obtained by some members of the faculty do not qualify to be valid as per regulations of the UGC in force from July 12, 2009.”
The Registrar directed the deans to check the details of PhD degrees of faculty enrolled after January 1, 2009. The deans have been asked to collect details of compulsory residential coursework done for the PhD; its duration; and research methodology or Information and Communication Technologies quantitative skills programme done for the PhD.
Report by November 15The deans have been directed to submit their reports within November 15. Under Clause 13 of UGC guidelines, a PhD without coursework is not approved. Coursework for one-one-a-half years (two to three semesters) is compulsory in all agricultural and veterinary universities, including the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareily; National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal; and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. Many universities in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada prescribe coursework for a minimum of one year for PhD.
A few faculty members of the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University are facing allegations of having pursued PhD through distance education in violation of the rules of the University Grants Commission.
They got approval when the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences was a part of the Kerala Agricultural University. No university, deemed university and college/institution of national importance shall conduct M.Phil. and PhD through the distance education mode as per UGC norms.
